I’m in Daytona finishing up a week of meetings with the SIBA Board of Directors, the Planning Team, Hotel Folks, and more. SIBA Board Member Jeff McCord shared this article with me from where magazine:
Book Marks
Grab a book and mark your spot at 10 of the city’s best independent bookstores
Bound to Be Read Books
By Jennifer R. Weis
1. A Cappella Books
Atlanta native Frank Reiss opened this indie book shop 20 years ago, and it’s been an Atlanta favorite ever since. People come from near and far for both new and used offerings covering a ride range of topics. Reiss opened the book shop after managing an antiquarian bookstore in San Francisco for six years; when he moved home, he looked for the area with the closest resemblance to San Fran he could find and landed on Little Five Points. ”It’s evolved over time, but we are geared to the neighborhood to a great extent—alternative and bohemian are well represented, and we don’t have a lot of mainstream.” The store also hosts a variety of author events, about a dozen a month on average, most at small venues in and around the neighborhood. 484-C Moreland Ave., 404-691-5128, www.acappellabooks.com.
2. Atlanta Book Exchange
Located in an old house in the heart of the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, this small bookstore is the last of a dying breed. The store is chock full of used books covering nearly every topic imaginable—they are packed into every inch of its interior and on every bit of space on the eight-foot-high shelves. Can’t find what you’re looking for? The knowledgeable and friendly staff is quick to lend a hand. 591 N. Highland Ave., 404-681-3122.
3. Books Again
Nine years ago, Jim and Glinda Adams saw an opportunity and went for it. They bought stock from a bookstore in North Carolina and moved it lock, stock and barrel down to Atlanta, where they proceeded to open a 2,000-square-foot used bookstore two blocks off Decatur Square. Today, this browser’s paradise offers everything from $3 paperbacks to $5,000 collectible books. Included in the mix are lots of books on poetry, art and photographs, but “we’re fairly general,” Jim says. 225 N. McDonough St., Decatur, 404-377-1444, www.booksagain-ga.com.
4. Book Nook
This warehouse-style store is located in a strip mall near DeKalb Peachtree Airport; there are also two OTP (outside the Perimeter) locations in Marietta and Lilburn. The shelves burst with copies of just about any type of book you can imagine. “We have a lot of everything,” says staff member Dugan Trodglen. “People spend hours and hours here.” They come for used paperback and hardback books in nearly every genre—ranging in price form $2.50 thriller to $25 art books. Lots of Emory students are on hand—both working the counter and searching the shelves for bargains. Beyond the books, you’ll find a great collection of comics, magazines, DVDs, VHS tapes and records. 3073 N. Druid Hills Rd., Decatur 404-633-1328; 1547 Roswell Rd., Marietta, 770-578-0604; 4664 Lawrenceville Hwy. NW, Lilburn, 770-564-9462.
5. Bound to Be Read Books
By day, he’s a government worker; by night, weekend and every spare moment, he’s a proud bookstore owner. We’re talking about Jeff McCord, owner of Bound to Be Read Books in East Atlanta. McCord decided to open the store after—long story short—he met a transplanted Floridian attorney who opened a bookstore in Canada after he couldn’t get a license to practice law. “I literally came home and started from there. I bought books everywhere I could find them.” Once those books started overtaking his house, McCord found space in East Atlanta. The result? A cool, laid-back neighborhood spot that’s chock full of (mostly) used and (some) new books plus loads of charm. There’s also a calendar full of author events, book clubs and even a bookstore cat. 481-B Flat Shoals Ave., 404-522-0877, www.boundtobereadbooks.com.
6. Charis Books & More
You can’t miss this feminist bookstore in Little Five Points—just look for the big, purple house. A neighborhood staple for 35 years, it’s one of only 13 feminist bookstores in the country. But although there is indeed a particularly strong selection of works by feminists, lesbians, and women of color, visitors will find something for everyone here including gay and lesbian literature, biography, recovery, cooking, women’s studies and psychology, plus a wonderful children’s section with colorful, multicultural-themed books that “reflect the realities of kids’ lives,” says long-time employee Elizabeth Anderson. Wonderful gift items—everything from jewelry to organic chocolate—and frequent author readings are a bonus. 1189 Euclid Ave., 404-524-0304, www.charisbooksandmore.com.
7. Eagle Eye Book Shop
Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore., was the inspiration behind Eagle Eye Book shop in Decatur. “It’s the best book store in the United States,” says Doug Robinson, who owns Eagle Eye with his wife, Diane, of Powell’s. “We visited and said ‘We want to be a little bitty Powell’s.’” And thanks to their passion and background, they are. The 5,000-square-foot store is home to a mile of books (literally—they measured!) including about 60,000 new, used, bargain and collectible titles. The store also takes trade-ins and hosts a slew of book events (about 200 a year)—both in and out of the store. But the store’s biggest strength, claims Robinson, is its ties to the community and other literary-minded organizations. 2076 N. Decatur Rd., 404-486-0307, www.eagleeyebooks.com.
8. Little Shop of Stories
School psychologist-turned-stay-at-home mom Diane Capriola had an idea in her head that she just couldn’t shake—she wanted to open in a children’s bookstore. So in 2005, together with partner Dave Shallenberger, she opened Little Shop of Stories in Decatur. And thank goodness she did. Because this adorable store is a must for book lovers of all ages. In addition to the vast selection of children’s books (the store’s bread and butter), there is also a small but solid selection of adult books and great gifts. Plus, there’s plenty of room for lounging, and an upstairs space that hosts parties, adult and kids’ book clubs, camps and author events. 113 East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.
9. Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse
RuPaul, Augusten Burroughs, Marlo Thomas, Alice Walker, Gregory Maguire and Jackie Collins have all pulled in to Outwrite Bookstore—Collins in a 25-foot bus, no less. And last month, comedian Chelsea Handler made an appearance. Why? Because Outwrite isn’t just a bookstore. It’s an institution. Owner Philip Rafshoon opened the store in 1993 because he wanted to “stay home and help the community.” Originally exclusively GBLT (Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, Transgender—it was voted “the best gay bookstore in the world” by The London Times), the store has become “more of an indie bookstore,” Rafshoon says, with GBLT material making up only about half of its inventory. There are also books on art, photography, self-help and just about anything else you can think of, plus DVDS, candles and other gift ideas. Not to mention a separate coffee house featuring yummy bagels, sandwiches, soups, cookies and coffee. 991 Piedmont Ave., 404-607-0082, www.outwritebooks.com.
10. Tall Tales Book Shop
What’s the key to Tall Tales’ success? “Our inventory is good, I know my books and I know the community,” says owner Marlene Zeiler. “We’ve been here so long.” It’s been 31 years to be exact that Tall Tales has been supplying an eclectic selection of books to the Emory community. “We truly are a general bookstore,” says Zeiler. “We have a little bit of everything, including a lot of children’s books and non-fiction.” 2105 Lavista Rd., 404-636-2498
